The president's health care summit 'On the Record'

Last night Chamber president & CEO Paul Guzzi went 'On the Record' with NECN's RD Sahl to discuss the outcome of yesterday's health care summit, and the Senate's approval of a $15 billion jobs bill.

Guzzi also noted that a special guest - new Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan - will be appearing on 'This Week in Business' this Sunday at 12:30pm for an exclusive interview.

Click here to view this segment.

Chamber releases February 2010 public policy update

The Chamber releases monthly public policy updates to its members informing them of the latest job creation policy agenda updates and pressing issues impacting the business community.

Earlier today, the Chamber released the February 2010 public policy update. This update featured highlights from the Chamber's work on unemployment insurance, health care reform, consolidation of economic development agencies, and data privacy.

Click here to view this month's public policy update.

If you would like to receive the Chamber's monthly public policy updates, please visit the Communications Sign-Up page on our website.

Check out the March 2010 Chamber Calendar of Events

The Chamber released our March 2010 Calendar of Events earlier today. March will be a great month for Chamber members, as we have several great events lined up - including our very first Innovation Forum! There are 3 free events available to Chamber members in March as well.

Click here to access the March eCalendar.

If you would like to have the monthly calendar e-mailed directly to you, sign up to receive Chamber communications on bostonchamber.com.

Nominations Now Open for the 2010 Small Business of the Year Awards

Calling all small businesses and entrepreneurs in the Greater Boston region! Nominations are now being accepted for the 2010 Small Business of the Year Awards. Click here to download a nomination form for Small Business of the Year or Entrepreneur of the Year. Nominations must be received by April 9 for consideration.

The 2010 Small Business of the Year Awards will be held on October 14 at the Colonnade Hotel. Presented annually since 1985, The Small Business of the Year Awards honor the achievements of small business and the spirit of entrepreneurship. This awards luncheon typically attracts more than 300 attendees from a wide array of industries in the region.

Click here to view a list of previous Small Business of the Year Award honorees.

Coverage of the Women's Network Breakfast with Laura Sen

Check out the Boston Herald for media coverage from yesterday's Women's Network Breakfast with Laura Sen, president & CEO of BJ's Wholesale Club.

Dr. Hockfield's address to the Chamber will be aired on WBUR

Last week, MIT president Dr. Susan Hockfield addressed the Chamber's Executive Forum. Tune in to WBUR 90.9 this Sunday, February 28, at 8 pm to hear the speech in its entirety.

Click here for an event recap and to view images from Dr. Hockfield's address.

Images from Women's Network Breakfast with Laura Sen are now online

Images from this morning's Women's Network Breakfast with Laura Sen, president & CEO of BJ's Wholesale Club, can now be viewed here. Sen spoke about her career journey, her management of BJ's, and current trends in BJ's sales. She also gave advice on how to become a successful female leader to all of the women in the room.

Video of BJ's Wholesale Club President and CEO Laura Sen's Women's Network Address

Earlier today, Laura Sen, president and CEO of BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. addressed a full house of Chamber members at the Women's Network Breakfast. Watch her entire speech in the video boxes below. We will post photography from the event later today. The Chamber would like to thank Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc. for sponsoring the breakfast.

Last chance to register for the Women's Network Breakfast with BJ's Laura Sen!

Laura Sen, president & CEO of BJ's Wholesale Club, will address the Chamber's Women's Network tomorrow - February 23 - at the Four Seasons Hotel. Click here to register.

Laura Sen is the president and chief executive officer of BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc, a company ranked #269 on the Fortune 500 list. Sen also serves on its board of directors. Since joining BJ’s in 1989, Sen has held multiple management positions, left to work as an outside consultant, and was tapped to become the Club’s top executive in February 2009. Under her leadership, the BJ’s team has improved their members' experience by providing better merchandise quality and value, and by raising operating standards in their clubs. BJ’s now operates 180 locations nationwide.

Sen has 30 years of experience in the retail industry, having started out as an executive trainee at Jordan Marsh in Boston. Today, Sen is one of only 15 women to lead a Fortune 500 company. An active member of the community, Sen serves on the board of Pine Street Inn and the 21st Century Fund. She is a graduate of Boston College.

Chamber secures a strong group of government officials for spring forums!

The Chamber's Government Affairs Forum series provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable insight from a range of prominent government officials. The Chamber has secured a terrific group of speakers for the spring, and we encourage you to register for one of the upcoming breakfasts!

Who: Speaker of House Robert DeLeo, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
When: Thursday - March 4, 2010
7:45 a.m. Registration & Networking, 8:10 - 9:00 a.m. Program
Where: Boston Park Plaza Hotel
How: Click here to register

Who: United States Congressman Barney Frank
When: Thursday - April 1, 2010
7:45 a.m. Registration & Networking, 8:10 - 9:00 a.m. Program
Where: TBD
How: Stay tuned to bostonchamber.com for more information!

Who: Senate President Therese Murray, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
When: Wednesday - April 14, 2010
7:45 a.m. Registration & Networking, 8:10 - 9:00 a.m. Program
Where: Westin Boston Waterfront
How: Click here to register

Who: State Treasurer Timothy Cahill, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
When: Tuesday - May 11, 2010
7:45 a.m. Registration & Networking, 8:10 - 9:00 a.m. Program
Where: Boston Harbor Hotel
How: Click here to register


Stay connected with the most up-to-date information on all Chamber forums by visiting the Chamber's Calendar of Events.

'On the Record' - Governor Patrick signs an unemployment insurance bill

Chamber president & CEO Paul Guzzi went ‘On the Record’ last night with NECN’s RD Sahl to discuss the unemployment insurance bill signed by Governor Deval Patrick, MIT president Susan Hockfield’s address to the Greater Boston Chamber, and a $10 billion commercial real estate offer placed by Simon Property Group.

Click here to view this segment.

Check out the Chamber's YouTube page!

The Greater Boston Chamber YouTube channel has recently been updated, and a series of new videos have been added. A highlight of the Chamber's recently added videos includes coverage from the 2010 Pinnacle Awards.

Remember to visit the Chamber's YouTube page periodically, as we will continue to populate it with footage of our high-profile event speakers and the outstanding networking opportunities that you can only find at Greater Boston Chamber events!

Additional Hockfield coverage

Check out articles in today's Boston Herald and Metro for more coverage from the Chamber's Executive Forum with president of MIT, Dr. Susan Hockfield!

Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo to address the Chamber

Massachusetts Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo will address the Chamber's Government Affairs Forum on March 4 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel.

Robert DeLeo was elected Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in January 2009. A dedicated public servant to the constituents of the 19th Suffolk District, Speaker DeLeo has undertaken a number of important issues since elected to office. As a 19-year veteran of the House, DeLeo’s vast knowledge of the legislative process and strong relationships with his fellow lawmakers have enabled him to lead the House to meaningful reform. Within his first 100 days in office, the House passed sweeping reform in rules, ethics, transportation, pension, and education. DeLeo also instituted a maximum limit on the Speaker’s term – a cap of eight years.

DeLeo previously served as chairman of the House Committee on Ways & Means. This critical experience prepared him to navigate the state budget through a challenging economy. Prior to that role, he chaired the House Committee on Bills in the Third Reading, the Joint Committee on Local Affairs, and the House Committee on Ethics. He served as chair of the Town of Winthrop’s Board of Selectmen for nine years and as a Town Meeting member for more than 30 years. DeLeo is a graduate of Northeastern University and Suffolk University Law School.

To register for this event, click here.

President of MIT addresses the Chamber

This morning, Dr. Susan Hockfield, president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, addressed the Chamber’s Executive Forum.

As the leader of one of the world’s most renowned academic institutions, Dr. Hockfield spoke about the work being done at MIT – including the current research on solar energy storage and neuroscience. Dr. Hockfield also shared some impressive statistics that clearly relayed the innovation being generated by the institution, and the impact it has on both the global and regional economy. She noted that 25,800 new companies have been created by MIT alumni who are currently living, and that MIT consistently ranks number two in the national ranking of universities based on various parameters and measures of tech transfers. Dr. Hockfield concluded by saying that the way to overcome this economic crisis is to continue to boost the region’s talent pipeline and innovation – an area that MIT continues to be a leader in.

To view images from this event, click here. Press coverage can be found in the Boston Globe and the Boston Business Journal.

The Chamber would like to thank Citibank for sponsoring this event.

Dr. Susan Hockfield to address the Chamber tomorrow

Tomorrow morning, Dr. Susan Hockfield, president of the Massachusetts Institutue of Tecnhology, will be addressing the Chamber's Executive Forum at the InterContinental Boston.

Susan Hockfield took office as the 16th President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in December 2004. A noted neuroscientist focused on the development of the brain, Dr. Hockfield is the first life scientist to lead MIT and holds a faculty appointment as Professor of Neuroscience in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Under Dr. Hockfield’s leadership, MIT is pioneering the leading edge of energy and environmental research, capitalizing on the Institute’s deep strengths in science, engineering, architecture, management, and economics. At the burgeoning intersection of the life sciences, the physical sciences and engineering, the Institute is also producing breakthrough research in fields from cancer to autism to AIDS. Building on MIT’s tradition of real-world problem solving and entrepreneurship, Dr. Hockfield champions the role of research universities in fueling the innovation economy, in the region and around the world.

Dr. Hockfield serves as a director of the General Electric Company and the World Economic Forum Foundation, a trustee of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and an overseer of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Before assuming the presidency of MIT, Dr. Hockfield was Provost at Yale University, where she had taught since 1985 and had also served as Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Click here to register for this event.

The Business Editors Roundtable joins 'This Week in Business'

Sunday on 'This Week in Business,' the Business Editors Roundtable comprised of Shirley Leung from the Boston Globe, Frank Quaratiello from the Boston Herald, and George Donnelly from the Boston Business Journal, joined hosts Paul Guzzi and Mike Nikitas to discuss both state and national job creation efforts. The editors also weigh in on a proposed cap in health care costs by Governor Deval Patrick. Click here to view this segment.

In the Briefing Room, the Business Editors Roundtable discusses the impact of Toyota's troubles on the auto industry and shares some paper specific stories. Click here to view this segment.

On the Business Beat, NECN business reporter Peter Howe joins to talk about an effort to eliminate toll booths on the Mass Pike, Liberty Mutual's plans to expand in Boston, Boston Scientific's decision to cut 1,300 jobs, and the status of the film industry in Massachusetts. Click here to view this segment.

Chamber launches leadership section on bostonchamber.com

This week, the Chamber launched an enhancement to bostonchamber.com - a new section outlining the Chamber Leadership Initiative.

Comprised of three core programs, the Chamber Leadership Initiative is designed to provide participants with the skills they need to be effective leaders in the 21st century. The new web pages outline each program, including a list of current participants and information on the application process.

Visit the leadership section for more information. If you have any questions on the Chamber Leadership Initiative, contact Ali Pincus, senior programs manager.

If you would like to learn more about advertising opportunities on bostonchamber.com, please contact Dan Esdale, senior marketing manager.

Laura Sen, president & CEO of BJ's, to address the Chamber

Laura Sen, president & CEO of BJ's Wholesale Club, will address the Chamber's Women's Network on February 23 at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Laura Sen is the president and chief executive officer of BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc, a company ranked #269 on the Fortune 500 list. Sen also serves on its board of directors. Since joining BJ’s in 1989, Sen has held multiple management positions, left to work as an outside consultant, and was tapped to become the Club’s top executive in February 2009. Under her leadership, the BJ’s team has improved their members' experience by providing better merchandise quality and value, and by raising operating standards in their clubs. BJ’s now operates 180 locations nationwide.

Sen has 30 years of experience in the retail industry, having started out as an executive trainee at Jordan Marsh in Boston. Today, Sen is one of only 15 women to lead a Fortune 500 company. An active member of the community, Sen serves on the board of Pine Street Inn and the 21st Century Fund. She is a graduate of Boston College.

Click here to register for this event.

Job news at Liberty Mutual & Boston Scientific 'On the Record'

Last night, Chamber president & CEO Paul Guzzi went ‘On the Record’ with NECN’s RD Sahl to talk about the Boston-based expansion of Liberty Mutual, 1,300 layoffs at Boston Scientific, Governor Patrick’s proposal for health care rate-setting, and UMass Boston’s study about the film industry in Massachusetts.

Click here to view this segment.

Images & press coverage from Governor Patrick event now available

Yesterday's Government Affairs Forum with Governor Deval Patrick has received extensive press coverage. Check out the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Associated Press, State House News, WGGB, & NECN for more details.

For a complete list of Chamber-related media coverage, visit Chamber in the News.

Images from this event can be viewed here.

Governor Patrick addresses the Chamber

This morning Governor Deval Patrick addressed the Chamber's Government Affairs Forum. In front of 500 Chamber members at the Westin Copley Place Boston, Governor Patrick discussed all the work that the Administration is doing to bring the Commonwealth out of this economic crisis. He also unveiled his plan to boost economic growth by supporting small businesses and creating jobs. In his plan, Governor Patrick has proposed a tax credit for small businesses, a $40 million Growth Capital Fund, action to hold down health insurance premiums for small businesses, freezing unemployment insurance rates at the 2009 rate, and more.

**Images from this event will be available on the Chamber Blog tomorrow**

Today's event was covered by the Boston Herald, Boston Globe, the Associated Press, and the Worcester Business Journal.

For a complete broadcast of the Governor's speech, tune in to WBUR 90.9 this Sunday, February 14, at 8:00pm.

Don't miss the Chamber's next Government Affairs Forum with Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo on March 4. Click here for more information or to register.

The Chamber would like to thank Bank of America for sponsoring this event.

Tomorrow Morning's Breakfast with Governor Patrick is Still On

For those of you wondering, tomorrow morning's Government Affairs Forum with Governor Deval Patrick is still on. Looks like the snow is expected to hold off in the Greater Boston region until later in the morning.

We have about 400 registered attendees, so it should be a full house. The Boston Globe, reported earlier that Governor Patrick will use the breakfast forum to release his plan to improve the region's business climate and create jobs.

Be sure to join us for breakfast and coffee. If you're not signed up to attend, you can register on site tomorrow morning at 7:45 a.m. at the Westin Copley Place. Visit the event registration page for more details.

Once again, we will see those who have registered tomorrow morning!

Joe Grimaldi & Gene Lindsey join 'This Week in Business'

Sunday on 'This Week in Business,' Joe Grimaldi, president & CEO of Mullen Advertising, joined hosts Paul Guzzi and Mike Nikitas to discuss the importance of Super Bowl advertising. He talked about the changes in the costs of advertising during the big game, a new outlet that some traditional Super Bowl advertisers have turned to, and what the Toyota crisis really means from a marketing perspective. Click here to view this segment.

In the Briefing Room, Gene Lindsey, president & CEO of Atrius Health, joins to talk about the national health care debate and what needs to be done to achieve meaningful reform. He discusses the importance of payment reform, and a new partnership with Beth Israel. Click here to view this segment.

Chamber working for stronger business climate in 2010

The Chamber ran a print ad in today's edition of the Boston Herald outlining the 2010 Public Policy agenda. Below is a copy of the content featured in the ad.

Chamber working for stronger business climate in 2010

The Chamber’s 2010 Public Policy Agenda is focused on four primary goals—reducing business costs, improving the talent pipeline, promoting innovation, and strengthening infrastructure & development. The goals are outlined below, together with the issues and initiatives that are key to achieving each of them:

Reducing business costs — Greater Boston employers must be able to compete against firms located in other regions, states, and countries to spur job creation. The Chamber’s efforts will focus on:

• Curbing health care inflation, expanding corporate tax reforms, working to promote energy efficiency and increasing the regional energy supply, and reforming unemployment insurance.

Improving the talent pipeline — Greater Boston employers must be able to hire and retain the talented workers in our region who are so important to economic growth. The Chamber’s efforts will focus on:

• Increasing the region’s supply of college-educated workers, connecting college students with potential employers in the region, expanding opportunities for minority-owned businesses, and advancing new school models such as Charter schools.

Promoting innovation — Greater Boston employers must be able to grow our region’s economic engines, expanding opportunity for companies and workers right here in Boston. The Chamber’s efforts will focus on:

• Advancing the region’s life sciences cluster, strengthening the financial services industry, and increasing the number of science and math teachers in the region.

Strengthening infrastructure and development — Greater Boston employers must be recruited to locate and grow in our region – meaning that roads, bridges, and public transportation facilities need to be properly maintained and on par with our strongest competitor regions. The Chamber’s efforts will focus on:

• Working towards implementation of transportation reforms enacted in 2009 and lowering development regulatory barriers.

Through collaboration with business groups, legislative outreach, and a focus on job creation, the Chamber will continue to work to improve the economic future of all who live and work in the Greater Boston region.

Chamber announces Boston's Future Leaders class of 2010

The Greater Boston Chamber has selected 81 of the region’s most talented young professionals from the business, nonprofit, and government communities to participate in the 2010 Boston’s Future Leaders Program.

“Our most valuable asset in Greater Boston is talent,” stated Paul Guzzi, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber. “In order to continue our economic growth and encourage investment in the region, it is vital that we engage and retain our leaders of tomorrow.”

The 81 candidates – all of whom are between the ages of 25 and 40 – were nominated by members of the Chamber’s Board of Directors on the basis of their high potential for executive-level positions. As Boston’s Future Leaders, they will participate in development programs over the next year at both Harvard Business School and Suffolk University Sawyer Business School, and enjoy high-level networking opportunities with Chamber board members and the growing Boston’s Future Leaders alumni network.

Click here for a complete list of Boston's Future Leaders participants.

Governor Patrick to unveil plans to boost the economy at Chamber forum

Governor Deval Patrick will address the Chamber's Government Affairs Forum Wednesday at the Westin Copley Place Boston. In his address, he will discuss plans to improve the Bay State's business climate.

In a Boston Globe exclusive, Governor Patrick and Senate President Therese agreed that the state needs to be more aggressive in steering the region out of economic turmoil and tackling the current unemployment rate of 9.4%. Their plans include a $50 million tax credit for small business, a plan to make available $25 million in loans to small businesses, and a proposal to freeze unemployment insurance rates, which are set to rise on April 1. With the support of House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Patrick and Murray also released a proposal to consolidate three state agencies that provide credit to small businesses in order to streamline the process of businesses seeking to keep jobs, add jobs, or locate in Massachusetts.

To read more, please click here.

To register for the Governor Patrick forum, please click here.

Dr. Susan Hockfield to address the Chamber

On February 17, Dr. Susan Hockfield, president of the Massachusetts Institutue of Tecnhology, will be addressing the Chamber's Executive Forum at the InterContinental Boston.

Susan Hockfield took office as the 16th President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in December 2004. A noted neuroscientist focused on the development of the brain, Dr. Hockfield is the first life scientist to lead MIT and holds a faculty appointment as Professor of Neuroscience in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Under Dr. Hockfield’s leadership, MIT is pioneering the leading edge of energy and environmental research, capitalizing on the Institute’s deep strengths in science, engineering, architecture, management, and economics. At the burgeoning intersection of the life sciences, the physical sciences and engineering, the Institute is also producing breakthrough research in fields from cancer to autism to AIDS. Building on MIT’s tradition of real-world problem solving and entrepreneurship, Dr. Hockfield champions the role of research universities in fueling the innovation economy, in the region and around the world.

Dr. Hockfield serves as a director of the General Electric Company and the World Economic Forum Foundation, a trustee of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and an overseer of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Before assuming the presidency of MIT, Dr. Hockfield was Provost at Yale University, where she had taught since 1985 and had also served as Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Click here to register for this event.

Save the date for the Chamber's 101st Annual Meeting & Dinner on May 4

The Chamber's 101st Annual Meeting & Dinner will be held on May 4 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place. This event is one of the largest single gatherings of the region's foremost business and civic leaders. A highlight of the program is the induction of one or more accomplished citizens into the Academy of Distinguished Bostonians which will be announced later this year.

To learn more about the 101st Annual Meeting & Dinner or to register, click here.

Alan Clayton-Matthews & Martin Madaus join 'This Week in Business'

Yesterday on ‘This Week in Business,’ Alan Clayton-Matthews, professor at Northeastern University, joined hosts Paul Guzzi and Mike Nikitas to look at the state of the economy and President Obama's state of the Union. Click here to view this segment.

In the Briefing Room, Martin Madaus, chairman and CEO of Millipore, a major life sciences company based in New England, joined to talk about the company's newest product and explain how their industry has weathered the recession. Click here to view this segment.

On the Business Beat, NECN business reporter Peter Howe discusses Toyota's recall and the future of the automaker, the introduction of the I-Pad, and Governor Deval Patrick's budget proposal for the Commonwealth. Click here to view this segment.

NECN launches a new website

NECN has recently launched a new website, which is currently impacting the Chamber's ability to embed video to the blog. Until this issue becomes resolved, we will link to the 'On the Record' and 'This Week in Business' footage on NECN's website.

Governor Deval Patrick to address the Chamber

On Wednesday, February 10, Governor Deval Patrick will address the Chamber’s Government Affairs Forum at the Westin Copley Place Boston.

Since taking office in 2007, Governor Patrick has aimed to prepare Massachusetts for a new generation of economic, cultural, and technological transformation. Over the course of his first term, Governor Patrick worked with the Legislature to position Massachusetts as a global leader in clean energy, passed a 10-year, $1 billion package to promote the state's life sciences industry, began to replace police details with civilian flaggers at state construction sites, introduced competition to the state’s auto insurance market, and eliminated the Turnpike Authority. Governor Patrick has also signed into law three major reform bills, including pension reform, ethics reform, and transportation reform.

Governor Patrick previously served as executive vice president and general counsel for the Coca-Cola Company, vice president and general counsel for Texaco, and as an attorney in several Boston law firms. He is also the former assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, where he worked on a wide range of issues including prosecution of hate crimes, employment discriminations, and enforcement of fair lending laws. A native of Chicago, Governor Patrick is a graduate of Milton Academy, Harvard College, and Harvard Law School.

Please click here to register for this event.